Vital Signs: New FDA Recommendations About Acetaminophen

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended against doctors prescribing combination drugs with more than 325 milligrams of acetaminophen. That’s the pain reliever and fever reducer also used in many over-the-counter medications. Too much acetaminophen can cause liver damage.

But in the week’s Vital Signs, Dr. Glenn Hardesty of Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital tells Sam Baker he thinks there’s more to the agency’s decision.

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Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer found in various brand-name products you may have at home – Tylenol, NyQuil or prescription drugs like Vicodin or Percocet. But using too much acetaminophen – and some people do – can lead to liver damage. Dr. Shannan Tujios of UT Southwestern Medical Center talks about the dangers in this week’s edition of “Vital Signs.”

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